Grow up Through Volunteering - NOOMI KAMS - EVS IN PORTUGAL - Estonian and English Article

Minu Portugali kogemus

Okei. Eksamid tehtud, keskkool lõpetatud – mis nüüd edasi? Ülikool? Töö? Vabatahtlik teenistus? Välismaale lapsehoidjaks?

Niimoodi kõiki oma võimalikke valikuid vaadates ja viimaks ka otsustades, olingi juba lennukiga teel Portugali, et veeta seal oma järgmised 10 kuud vabatahtlikku tööd tehes. Muidugi ei olnud see nii lihtne, sest minu jaoks käis sellega kaasas ka mure igasuguste väikeste asjade pärast. Hiljem mõistsin, et see mure oli kõik asjatu.

Enne Lissaboni jõudmist ei osanud ma ette kujutadagi, kuidas kõik olema hakkab. Teadsin vaid seda, et elaksin ühes korteris koos teiste vabatahtlikega ning et töötaksin lastega. Ja nii oligi – elasin samas korteris koos teiste noortega nii Poolast, Hispaaniast, Türgist kui ka Bulgaariast. Kuna mu töö oli ühes koolis, siis arvasin, et hakkan tegelema vanemate lastega, kuid tegelikult suunati mind tööle hoopis lasteaeda, mis mulle väga meeldis. Mu tööülesandeks oli lihtsalt aidata ja toetada kasvatajaid kõiges, milles sain.

Alguses oli kindlasti raske, sest kuna ma keelt ei osanud, siis ei saanud ma ka lastega suhelda. Ja mitte ainult lastega, vaid ka teiste kasvatajatega, kuna ka nemad inglise keelt väga hästi ei osanud. Kuid õnneks on mingid väga targad inimesed leiutanud google translate, mis oli mulle need esimesed kuud Portugalis kui parima sõbra eest. Siiski, mida paremaks läks mu Portugali keele oskus, seda paremaks läksid mu suhted nii lastega kui ka teiste kasvatajatega.

Kuid kindlasti ei olnud need 10 kuud, mis ma seal veetsin, ainult töö, töö ja töö. Mul oli tegelikult väga palju vaba aega, mille ma sain veeta sõpradega, kas niisama chillides või siis Portugali avastades.

Need 10 kuud Portugalis olid tõesti imelised. Ma siiani ei suuda uskuda, kui palju muutis see väike otsus, Portugali vabatahtlikuks minna, mu elu. Kõik need inimesed, keda ma kohtusin. Kõik need imelised mälestused, mis mul sellest ajast seal on. Portugal tõesti võitis mu südame täielikult ja ma olen 100% kindel, et ma satun sinna veel tagasi. Seda aga, kui kauaks ma sinna plaanin jääda..seda veel vaatame :)

My experience in Portugal

Okay.. I've done my exams, finished highschool – now what? University? Job? Voluntary service? Au pair?

Just like that, thinking about all the options I had and finally deciding, I was already on a plane, flying to Portugal, to spend my next 10 months there, doing voluntary service.

Of course it wasn't as simple as that, since I was worrying about every little detail. Later I discovered that there was no reason to be worrying at all.

Before I arrived to Lisbon, I couldn't even imagine how it all would be. The only thing I knew, was that I will be living in the same apartment with other volunteers and I would be working with children. And that's how it was – I was living in the same apartment with youth from Poland, Spain, Turkey and also from Bulgaria. As for the job, I thought I would be working with older children, since it was a school. But actually I was assigned to work in a kindergarten. I have to say, I loved it. It was my responsibility to assist and help the teachers with everything I could.

In the beginning, it was certainly tough. Since I didn't speak the language, I couldn't talk with the children. And not only the children, but also the other teachers, since their English wasn't so good either. But thank God for the smart people who invented Google translate. The first months, Google translate was like my best friend. But as my Portuguese improved, so did my relationship with the children and other teachers.

But of course these 10 months that I spent in Portugal, wasn't only about work. I'm surprised how much free time I actually had. Free time, that I could spend with my friends, either just chilling or discovering Portugal.

These 10 months in Portugal were really amazing. I still can't believe that such a small decision, to do volunteer work in Portugal, changed my life so much. All those people I met. All those memories I now have. Portugal won my heart completely and I'm 100% sure that I will one day return. But for how long... that we'll see ;)


Editor note. This project was funded under Erasmus + programme of European Commission.